Apple Watch vs Fitbit: How accurate are they as sleep trackers?

My Fitbit Inspire 2 and Apple Watch 7 compete each morning to provide the most accurate sleep data. Maria Diaz/ZDNET There’s a common ailment that plagues me and many others around the world: I stay up too late and then wake up exhausted, and drag my feet all day, only to repeat the cycle again… Continue reading Apple Watch vs Fitbit: How accurate are they as sleep trackers?

7 ways AirTags can simplify your life (beyond tracking keys)

Jason Hiner/ZDNET How many times a week do you ask yourself, “Where did I put my (insert lost item here)?” I know my daily tally is too high to even count. Fortunately, my most essential tech gadgets have built-in tracking capabilities, but what about the devices that don’t?  Apple AirTags‘ thin, pocket-sized design makes them… Continue reading 7 ways AirTags can simplify your life (beyond tracking keys)

Smartphone trends in 2023: Here’s what’s coming next

d3sign / Getty Images The history of tech is in many ways one of decreasing physical size combined with increasing compute power, system integration, connectivity, and affordability.  Special Feature Another way of putting it: 50 years ago, computers were room-sized, sparsely interconnected via the nascent internet, cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, and were available… Continue reading Smartphone trends in 2023: Here’s what’s coming next

Tesla to recall more than 360,000 vehicles due to self-driving software problems

Tesla Tesla is recalling more than 362,000 vehicles due to safety issues with its Full Self-Driving Beta (FSD Beta) software, according to a federal agency.  The FSD Beta software “allows a vehicle to exceed speed limits or travel through intersections in an unlawful and unpredictable manner [that] increases the risk of a crash,” according to… Continue reading Tesla to recall more than 360,000 vehicles due to self-driving software problems

How Kia and Hyundai’s new software update thwarts viral TikTok car thefts

Image: Getty Images Kia and Hyundai are rolling out a free software update for vehicles that may be targets of the “Kia challenge” — a viral TikTok challenge that has inspired car thefts nationwide. The software update will be free for millions of Kia and Hyundai owners, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)… Continue reading How Kia and Hyundai’s new software update thwarts viral TikTok car thefts

This new AI service wants to make your video call a little bit easier

Image: 10’000 Hours/Getty Images By now, anyone with an office job is likely familiar with the experience of joining a video meeting only to wonder, a few minutes into it, if anyone on the call is taking notes. The popular AI transcription app Otter is launching a new service called OtterPilot that aspires to fill… Continue reading This new AI service wants to make your video call a little bit easier

I wanted to try the new Bing with ChatGPT. Then, Microsoft went all Microsoft

I can almost touch it. NurPhoto/Getty Images This is Microsoft’s moment. At last it can stick it to companies that, once upon a time, laughed in its face. Like Google, Apple, and, well, Nokia. more Technically Incorrect Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has leaped on the latest tech wizardry — or, perhaps, the latest wildly imperfect… Continue reading I wanted to try the new Bing with ChatGPT. Then, Microsoft went all Microsoft

This gadget is for everyone who hates flying in coach (so, everyone in America)

Up there, it hurts.  Aaron Foster/Getty Images Airlines like to squeeze customers for every dime they can get. They also enjoy squeezing those customers into ever tinier seats, despite the fact that Americans are getting rather larger. more Technically Incorrect It is, of course, possible to enjoy flying in coach. When there’s no one else… Continue reading This gadget is for everyone who hates flying in coach (so, everyone in America)

Tiny IoT devices are getting their own special encryption algorithms

Image: AerialPerspective Images/Getty Images The US Department of Commerce’s technical standards organization NIST has nominated the Ascon group of cryptographic algorithms for protecting small devices and information transmitted to and from IoT devices.  NIST will later this year publish the “lightweight cryptography” standard after picking the Ascon family for the task.   Also: What is the… Continue reading Tiny IoT devices are getting their own special encryption algorithms

How green are your collaboration tools? Cisco is giving answers

Cisco The digital collaboration boom of the past few years has made it easier than ever to communicate with others remotely. On the face of it, this is a huge win for efforts to reduce carbon emissions: traveling for business is perhaps less necessary than ever.  Special Feature However, the energy spent powering up teleconferences… Continue reading How green are your collaboration tools? Cisco is giving answers